Gift items of all kinds were on display at the annual TPO Holiday Craft Bazaar at Wiggins Elementary School Saturday.

It was a time for locals to chat and stock up on Christmas items, but it was also a time for local groups to do some fundraising.

First, the annual bazaar is a way for the Tiger Parents Organization to raise the funds it uses to help out the elementary school in general and classrooms as well, said organizer Tracy Donaghy. The fees from the 43 booths will go into an account that sponsors projects.

At the same time, the chili lunch raises funds and collects nonperishable foods to help out those in need.

In addition, local groups come to sell a variety of things to support their causes and organizations.

For instance, Wiggins International Club members manned a booth selling cookies, blankets, dipped sandwich cookies and dipped pretzels. The club is working to raise the money to take 12 people to visit Japan this year, said Lainie Columbia.

The club is getting closer to the amount it needs, and has worked on a number of other fundraisers, she said. More fundraisers will probably be needed before the full amount is gathered.

The trip is scheduled to begin in the temple city of Kyoto, and the group will travel from there to Tokyo with stops along the way, said student Mandy Columbia, 17.

It is an expensive trip, but worth the effort, she said.

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The Wiggins Community Church teamed up with the Winning Edge 4-H Club with side-by-side booths. One section featured jewelry designed by Sheree Baessler and woodwork by Darrel Lehr, and the church's youth group was offering novelty items and cookies in mugs.

Other booths offered everything from jewelry, Christmas ornaments and paper crafts, to candy, flasks and cosmetics.

Visitors also had the chance to enjoy the dances of the Wiggins Cheerleaders, who came dressed in a variety of seasonal costumes.

People could also see the work of the NECO Robo Knights, a team that builds robots to compete in the First Tech Challenge.

Team members Malea Koenig, 11, Caleb Christensen, 15, and William Schneider, 16, were on hand to demonstrate their robot and explain what they do.

The robots do come in kits, but there are separate components, too, and the kids come up with ideas to make them better, Schneider said.

It took from September to build the robot that they were showing, he said.

The Robo Knights are the only 4-H team in the world competing in the First Tech Challenge, Schneider said.

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